Douglas described Montrose as "one of the founding farmers of rock and roll," while Montrose's wife, Leighsa, noted his work ethic.

"He was very hard on himself," she told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He would play shows where there would be three standing ovations, and all he would talk about on the drive home is what he didn't do right."

Montrose was working on releasing his first DVD and was about to embark on a spring tour later this month that would have taken him across the U.S., Douglas said.

Besides his wife, Montrose is survived by a daughter and five grandchildren. Services are pending.